Bachelor of Arts in MusicSchool of Arts and Sciences

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Bring your talents to life

You always had a dream to perform … whether that’s on stage in front of a large audience, or leading the next generation of musicians in a concert in front of families. From the professional performance to the community spotlight, a church performance, or starting your own group, a degree in Music from Edgewood College brings your dream to life.

Opportunities to participate in vocal or instrumental performances within one of our two choirs, concert band, orchestra, guitar ensemble, and others within the greater Madison community. Music majors develop performance and critical thinking skills along with music literacy from faculty who are professional performers within their area.

Locations
Madison, WI

Formats
On-campus

Number of Credits
120

Next Start Date
August 25, 2025

Careers within Music

$62,590

Average per hour wage for a Music Director and Composer

Projected employment growth rate, from 2023-2033

Bureau of Labor Statistics

A bachelor’s degree in music prepares you for a variety of career paths.

Accompanists
Music director
Music editor for a publishing company
Music store sales and marketing representatives
Private music instructors
Session musician
Studio musician

Featured Courses

Music 108 – Latin American Music

The course will introduce students to the diversity of musical cultures in Latin America from historical, ethnic, and geographical perspectives. Students will explore the impact of socio-demographic and economic trends on the evolution of Latin American music and will gain understanding of styles, cross-cultural influences and folk traditions that have played a crucial role in the development of national musical cultures of Latin America. The course will also touch upon the important impact that Latin American music has had on the evolution of contemporary jazz and pop music worldwide.

Music 111 – West African Drumming Ensemble

A performance-based drumming class with an emphasis on the role of drumming in a variety of West African cultures and the transformation of such styles in cultures throughout the world.

Music 291 – Introduction to Audio Technology

Introduces students to the theory of and practices in digital audio recording. Describes basic background of the history of audio production, culminating in hands-on operation of a digital audio workstation. Introduces the student to industry standard and most current software and hardware. Related equipment, including microphones, outboard processers, and basic concepts of Music Theory and terms are covered. Studio definitions and nomenclature for equipment and terms used in the current professional environment will be covered.

Explore All Courses For This Program

Music Experiences

Edgewood College offers opportunities to partner with a variety of professional services for student internships. Past internship placements include the Wisconsin Center for Music Education, St. Mary’s Hospital, Midwest Family Broadcasting, Madison Symphony Orchestra, and Wisconsin Public Radio.

Music Faculty

Carrie Backman

Music Director of Edgewood College Concert Band

cbackman@edgewood.edu

Laura Burns

Adjunct Instructor, Violin

lburns@edgewood.edu

Joshua Hale

Adjunct Instructor, Music Media and Production

jhale@edgewood.edu

Todd Hammes, DMA

Adjunct Instructor, Percussion and African Drumming Ensemble

thammes@edgewood.edu

Sergei Pavlov

Associate Professor, Music Program coordinator, Music Director of Edgewood Chamber Singers

spavlov@edgewood.edu

J. Adam Shelton

Adjunct Instructor, Voice

ashelton@edgewood.edu

Beth Wilson

Piano Accompanist, Performance Class Instructor

bwilson@edgewood.edu

Nathan Wysock

Music Director, Instructor in Music Theory and Music History

nwysock@edgewood.edu

View All Faculty

A variety of opportunities to perform GREAT MUSIC!

EDGEWOOD CHAMBER SINGERS

welcomes students from all majors on campus who have some previous choral experience. The choir rehearses on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, and performs four concerts each academic year, two of which with orchestra! To join, contact Sergei Pavlov at SPavlov@edgewood.edu

GUITAR ENSEMBLE

is an acoustic guitar group that performs music ranging from medieval dances to Jazz and Rock. Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings. To join, contact Nathan Wysock at NWysock@edgewood.edu

CONCERT BAND

draws together students and experienced performers from the community, many of whom are professional music educators. It is our largest ensemble on campus; rehearsals are on Wednesdays, 6:00 to 7:50 p.m. To join, contact Carrie Backman at CBackman@edgewood.edu

EDGEWOOD CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

is made up of students and community members, who join after an audition. The orchestra rehearses on Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and performs a variety of works, from Baroque to contemporary. To join, contact Sergei Pavlov at SPavlov@edgewood.edu

EDGEWOOD CHORALE

offers Edgewood students and Madison-area singers the opportunity to join a vibrant choral community without an audition. Everyone who loves singing is welcome! Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings, 7:00 to 8:50 p.m. To join, contact Beth Wilson at BWilson@edgewood.edu

Please visit the Music Events page for our calendar of events.

Related Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it take to be a music major?

Being a music major is more complicated than singing or playing for pleasure. With careful planning and dedication, however, the curriculum can be one of the most rewarding in the liberal arts.

What have Edgewood College music alumni done with their degrees?

Edgewood College alumni with liberal arts music degrees enjoy a wide variety of careers. Here are a few examples: Audio Engineer, Professional Opera performer, church musician, radio broadcasting, freelance jazz performance.

What kinds of internship opportunities are available?

Internships are required of music majors who have a business emphasis and are encouraged for all liberal arts music majors. A few internship placements include Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, local commercial radio stations, and Wisconsin Public Radio.